mArlo Progress

More progress on the mArlo mid-size robot. Need to recut all the decks now that the kinks are mostly worked out, and then assemble. I have all the hardware collected (what is shown is temporary) and ready to go. It is looking good and I like the size! I routed the “m” on the power distribution panel with a Dremel tool. It will be a BlocklyProp programmed beast. Stay tuned! Here are some photos of my mockup, using the temporary hardware with the control board just sitting on the top deck showing the basic design.

Today, my sister helped me use the CNC router at the Louisiana Tech shop to cut the decks. Assembly should begin soon! See the video below...

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day from Robotics Under the Stole.

A robot nanny is nothing knew: Tinker was created by Yorkshire inventor David Weston in the 1960s. Source: Photo Credit: David Weston, Read more at: https://phys.org/news/2016-05-mother-day-youve-born-machine.html#jCp

Running Robot

BostonDynamics' Atlas just keeps getting better and better.

Ευχαριστώ!

Ευχαριστώ, Thanks, sounds good in any language! Got this great thank you note from my friend, mathematician, and robotic's educator,  Nikos Giannkopoulos. I sent him a set of U.S.P.S. - S.T.E.M. stamps - for more info about these stamps see my previous post, here.

Note: The Greek word for thanks is where the Church gets the word Eucharist. The Eucharistic Prayer is called The Great Thanksgiving!

More Cool Stuff from NASA

NASA Langley researchers are experts in modeling and simulations for entry, descent, and landing, working on missions since the Viking lander in 1976. In this episode, they explore the challenges of guiding landers like Mars InSight through the Martian atmosphere for a safe landing.

More Blockly Fun!

Blockly for Microcontrollers is a Facebook group hosted by Parallax, Inc. - learn.parallax.com, and this is group are the best places to learn about BlocklyProp. Lots of great ideas and example shared by enthusiasts, educators, and Parallax staff. Come join us!

History Repeats Itself with BlocklyProp

In 1961, an IBM 704 at Bell Labs was programmed to 'sing' "Daisy Bell" in the earliest demonstration of computer speech synthesis. Here’s a video of the 704 (model name and year are not correctly attributed in the video).

Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke witnessed the IBM 704 demonstration and referenced it in the 1968 novel and film 2001: A Space Odyssey, in which the HAL 9000 computer sings "Daisy Bell" during its gradual deactivation. Here is the full scene from the movie!

So, this has become a classic computer/robotic challenge and an allusion to the field's rich history. My pal, Eric Ostendorff (erco), made his homage with a Parallax Boe-Bot using a RoboVoice chip in 2012. Here is his video.

Therefore, standing on the shoulders of giants, here is the Parallax S3 playing Daisy Bell. BlocklyProp code is here - http://blockly.parallax.com/blockly/editor/blocklyc.jsp?project=28082

Sometimes, a simple experiment or programming challenge is way more than it appears. Not only is it fun, it pays tribute to those who traveled this way before (a lesson in the lesson). It is a hat-tip to our heroes.

Sources:

• Daisy Bell - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisy_Bell
• Why Did Hal Sing ‘Daisy’?, by Nicholos Wethington - Universe Today - https://www.universetoday.com/44482/why-did-hal-sing-daisy/